Republicans' Drama Descends Into Chaos

The continuing drama among Republicans on Capitol Hill descended into chaos on Tuesday after a series of separate incidents painted a chaotic picture of GOP lawmakers in D.C.

Three heated incidents in the House and one in the Senate took place in a matter of hours as Republicans were riled up over various issues. One altercation even got physical, while another threatened to do the same. The incidents came as the GOP is struggling to avoid congressional drama while it has been plagued with infighting and subsequent criticism of the intraparty feuds.

Things kicked off in the morning after Representative Kevin McCarthy reportedly got into a physical altercation with one of the Republicans who ousted him from the speakership last month.

McCarthy shoved and elbowed Representative Tim Burchett while the latter was talking to NPR congressional correspondent Claudia Grisales after a GOP Conference meeting, Grisales reported.

On X (formerly Twitter), Grisales said McCarthy and his detail walked behind Burchett before the Tennessee Republican was elbowed and then lunged toward her.

Calling him a "jerk" and chasing McCarthy down a hallway, Burchett told him what he had done was a "chicken move" and said he was "pathetic."

This was the first interaction between the two lawmakers since Burchett joined seven other Republicans in voting to remove McCarthy from his leadership role on October 3.

"He's on a downhill spiral.... That was pretty gutless of him. I'm disappointed in his, in him," Burchett told Grisales.

Newsweek reached out to McCarthy via email for comment.

Later in the day, McCarthy's name came up in another contentious moment on Capitol Hill when GOP Representative Derrick Van Orden defended him and went after Representative Matt Gaetz, who had introduced the motion to vacate that resulted in McCarthy's ouster as speaker.

"Speaker McCarthy was ousted because there's an immature man-child that happened to be elected to Congress from Florida," Orden told NBC News, referring to Gaetz. "That's why he was ousted. Let's just be frank."

The Florida Republican hit back at Van Orden over his comments, slamming his Republican colleague for calling him "immature" over his disagreement with McCarthy's government spending deal with Democrats.

Gaetz told Newsweek: "Only in Washington is 'maturity' measured by a shameless, unabridged willingness to deficit spend while funding Joe Biden's inflation-inducing agenda. As for Congressman Van Orden, he's said far worse about me before. Maybe I'm growing on him."

The other Tuesday incidents took place during two separate hearings.

During a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, Senator Markwayne Mullin, a former mixed martial arts fighter, challenged Teamsters President Sean O'Brien to a physical brawl after the Oklahoma Republican read out tweets from O'Brien that referred to him as a "clown" and "fraud."

"You want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults, we can finish it here," Mullin said, asking him, "You want to do it now?"

When Mullin told O'Brien to get up, the union head responded with "You stand your butt up," prompting the senator to spring up. At that point, committee chair Bernie Sanders stepped in, telling Mullin, "No, no, no, sit down. Sit down! You're a United States senator, sit down."

"If you have questions on any economic issues, anything that was said, go for it. We're not here to talk about physical abuse," Sanders said.

Newsweek reached out to Mullins and O'Brien via email for comment.

In the House, a dispute broke out during an Oversight Committee hearing when Representatives James Comer, a Republican, and Jared Moskowitz, a Democrat, sparred over reports that Comer loaned his brother $200,000 despite criticizing President Joe Biden for doing the same thing.

After Comer denied those reports, Moskowitz asked the Kentucky Republican, the committee's chairman, why the American people should believe that.

"Why should they believe you?" he asked. "There's a different rule for the president. There's a different rule for you. Why should they believe what you're saying?"

Comer shouted as the two went back and forth, at one point calling Moskowitz "a liar."

"Who's proven me a liar? You? Your word means nothing, Mr. Chairman," the Florida Democrat responded. "This seems to have gotten under your skin. I think the American people have lots of questions, Mr. Chairman, and perhaps you should sit maybe for a deposition."

Comer responded that he'd be "happy" to sit for one before Ranking Member Jamie Raskin called for a return to order.

A spokesperson for Comer told Newsweek after the hearing, "Representative Moskowitz continues to spew disinformation and is attempting to distract the American people from Biden family corruption. Chairman Comer will not be deterred as he works to uncover the facts about President Biden's involvement in his family's influence peddling schemes."

Newsweek reached out to Moskowitz via email for comment.

Responding to all of the events of Tuesday, Democratic Representative Sara Jacobs tweeted, "But women are too emotional for elected office."

Democratic Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi also poked fun at the fighting, writing, "Do I need to start carrying yellow penalty flags around the halls of the Capitol with me? Or should we create a penalty box like the NHL has?"

Correction 11/14/23 6:28 p.m. ET An earlier version of this story switched the party affiliation of Comer and Moskowitz.